418 - A Pre-Post Intervention Study: Pediatric Residents’ Literacy Promotion Attitudes, Knowledge, and Practices Following Reach Out and Read Online Training

Poster Number: 418
Publication Number: 418.1188

Background: Reach Out and Read (ROR) is an evidence-based literacy promotion (LP) intervention that integrates age-appropriate book distributions and literacy and early relational health guidance into well-child visits. Amongst pediatric providers, variability exists in LP training, confidence, and behaviors, including ROR implementation. Online training may be able to address gaps in LP training (Caldwell et al 2020). When training pediatric residents, developmental-behavioral pediatricians aim to impart guidance in understanding and optimizing child development as well as confidence in performing developmental assessments. DBPs are naturally positioned to serve as a source of LP training. To our knowledge, assessment of the online training module has not been formally studied.

Objective: To assess the impact of the ROR online Continuing Medical Education (CME) training course on pediatric residents’ LP knowledge, attitudes, and practices as well as when compared to those that received standard LP training.

Design/Methods: A prospective pre-post control study design was conducted at a tertiary academic center. ROR Texas/ROR National Center collaborated in survey creation. Control surveys were completed by pediatric PGY2 residents with standard LP training. Pre-test surveys followed by ROR online-CME training were completed by residents (majority PGY1) during their development rotation. Post-test surveys were completed 3-12 months after the rotation. Descriptive statistics and paired/unpaired t-tests were performed. IRB approval gained.

Results: 20 residents rotated through developmental pediatrics (1/2022-06/2022). 16 completed the course and both pre/post-test surveys. Significant differences were measured in the mean scores of pre-test vs. post-test (n=16) and post-test vs control (n=16) questions exploring LP beliefs, knowledge gained, confidence, and change in practices (including frequency of using a book as a tool for developmental assessment and timing of book distribution). (See table)

Conclusion(s): Although residents were aware of the purpose of ROR before training, significant improvements in LP knowledge, confidence, and implementation of the ROR program following educational intervention has been demonstrated, including in comparison to those that received standard training. Findings give support to the effectiveness of the ROR online training course as an adjunct to pediatric LP training; it should be considered as a standard component of pediatric residency curricula. Developmental pediatrics provides residents with opportunities to simultaneously practice developmental assessment and LP behaviors.